August/September 2021 (102)

Woodcraft Magazine

Woodcraft Magazine is written by woodworkers for woodworking enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Woodcraft Magazine2 min read
The Creative Wave
Not long ago, my wife walked into the shop to find a tool. What she found instead was me laboring over a big project and an even bigger mess. Sawdust and shavings covered the floor, and most of my tools were strewn about any available flat surface. T
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Share Your Ideas.
We love hearing from readers! And there are all kinds of reasons to get in touch with the crew at Woodcraft Magazine. Check out the details below. 4420 Emerson Ave., Suite A P.O. Box 7020 Parkersburg, WV 26102 800-542-9125 Here’s your chance to help
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Woodcraft Magazine
Chief Editor: Chad McClung Senior Editors: Paul Anthony, Ken Burton Associate Editor: Derek Richmond Art Director: Brad Weekley Graphic Design Intern: Jenna Barnhart Publisher: Beth Coffey Advertising Sales Manager: Vic Lombard Circulation Support: C
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Sweepstakes Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 100th Issue Giveaway! Gordon Hoffman takes home the grand prize, a total shop package including a SawStop contractor saw, Rikon bandsaw, Powermatic drill press, and more. Hoffman said that woodworking has provide
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Cut The Cords
I enjoyed your Great Innovations in Woodworking (April/May 21) article but was surprised that you omitted advances in battery technology. I’m glad I no longer need to run an extension cord out to some far corner to drill a hole or drive a screw. And
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Straight To The Point
Wow! Who came up with the idea for the crossbow in issue 101 (June/July 21)? Looks to me like an accident waiting to happen. Lawn darts were banned, and you come up with a crossbow that will probably put out an eye at ten paces. Bad idea, in my estim
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
This Project Sucks
Good stuff in the latest issue of Woodcraft Magazine! I really like the Double-Duty Dust Cart (June/July 21). It makes sense to have a dedicated station that wheels around where it’s needed and includes the cyclone corral. I’ve already purchased the
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Chop Shop
ChopValue, a Vancouver, Canada-based company, is upcycling used chopsticks into laminated tiles that can then be used as coasters or combined to make cutting boards, stair treads, tabletops, and other furniture. After picking up some of the 100,000 c
Woodcraft Magazine2 min read
Reader Showcase
Nitz of the quarter-round table. This Michigan woodworker convinced his wife there was room for one more corner table in their home and built this one from plans in the June/July 2015 issue. His charming version features a curved front and wedge draw
Woodcraft Magazine2 min read
An All-in-one Quick-change Tool
Bosch 12-Volt Max Chameleon Drill/Driver Available at boschtools.com, $149.00 Bosch recently introduced a 12-volt little sibling to its “Chameleon” line of cordless drill/drivers. I spent some time lounging with this lizard to see what it could chang
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Easy Ball-catch Location
I like using brass double-ball catches on fine furniture because they’re well made and classy looking. The only problem is that they can be tricky to install, as there’s virtually no allowance for misalignment. Here’s an approach that I’ve found work
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Marking Knife Glue Cleanup
My Japanese “spear-point” marking knife is great for accurately marking out joinery. Because it has a flat face and no handle, it can register flush against a dovetail cheek, for example, to precisely lay out the mating socket, even between closely s
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
A Makeshift Drum Sander
Sometimes I make little turned vessels with drilled-out interiors, and need to clean up the relatively deep openings. I’ve found that the best tool for the job is a 1/2"-diameter dowel that I use as a drum sander of sorts. I bandsaw a slot in the end
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
An Adjustable Brush
As a 17-year-old budget-conscious woodworker, I try to get as much use as possible from my tools. So when a finishing brush started falling apart, I decided to hold it together with a rubber band, which worked pretty well. In the process, I realized
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Finish Flip Seal
Partially used cans of finish can be hard to seal properly, causing the finish to go bad. A good way to prevent this is to wipe the lid contact areas clean, tap the lid down well, and then flip the can upside-down for storage. This way, the finish it
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Drill press V-fence
While making a decorative disk, I needed to drill a series of holes near its perimeter, insetting them a consistent distance from the disk’s edge. Normally, I might create a jig by installing a pin of some sort in a scrap panel that would allow the d
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Share a Slick Tip. Win Cash or a Prize!
Here’s your chance to help someone become a better woodworker and get rewarded for the effort. The winner of next issue’s Top Tip award will receive a Woodcraft Gift Card worth $250. All others will receive $125 for a published illustrated tip, or $7
Woodcraft Magazine3 min read
Table LAMP
Lamps are fun to build. They go together quickly, require minimal material, and allow a lot of creative leeway. A few years ago, I developed a method for making shades from thin plywood, opening up even more design possibilities and a chance to break
Woodcraft Magazine3 min read
Passive Smartphone AMPLIFIER
I have thousands of songs in my phone, to say nothing of the apps streaming satellite radio, live sports, and more. But when I’m without headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, getting all that entertainment out of the phone and into my ears leaves much t
Woodcraft Magazine5 min read
Three-tier PLATTER
There’s something about a beautifully designed three-tiered serving platter that’s classy, timeless, and certain to impress guests. In addition to its stacking functionality, it looks great as a dinner table or side table centerpiece, and serves for
Woodcraft Magazine5 min read
Making MOCK-UPS
Many woodworkers struggle with designing, whether it’s with a pencil or mouse. Even if you can sketch and/or navigate design software, it can still be difficult to get a good sense of how a piece of completed furniture is going to relate to real spac
Woodcraft Magazine2 min read
Oven Squirrel
If you can spare an hour and some half-inch scrap, you can craft this handy oven rack pusher/puller. It’s comfortable to hold, keeps your hands safe from burns, and hooks firmly around an oven’s wire racks to push and pull your baked treats into easy
Woodcraft Magazine3 min read
White Ash
About one hundred years after a blight killed off the American chestnut, we are witnessing the demise of another of North America’s noble hardwoods: ash. Instead of a fungus that did in the chestnut, the culprit this time is an invasive beetle from A
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Easy On The Eyes…and The Wallet
I like ash and have worked with it extensively in my career. I particularly like to contrast it with darker woods: a table with ash legs and a walnut top for instance. Or, as shown on page 22, an ash base for a lamp with a cherry shade. I also use it
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Everything You Could Mask For
Over the last year, the general public has learned what woodworkers always knew: No matter how well a mask works, you won’t wear one unless it’s comfortable. I’ve used Dust Bee Gone’s nuisance dust mask for years and appreciate its features even more
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Fast Cutting And Versatile
I do a lot of hand shaping on the pieces I build—rounding corners, fairing transitions, and so on. To aid in this work, I recently picked up two half-round rasps from Kutzall—an 8" coarse and a 6" fine—to add to my collection of abrasive cutters. The
Woodcraft Magazine1 min read
Get To The Point
Most folks say “you get what you pay for” when discussing pricey items like hand and power tools. But this universal idiom also applies to the humble pencil. Typical #2 pencils emblazoned with an office supply store logo are sometimes bowed, with bro
Woodcraft Magazine2 min read
The Dressing Procedure That Minimizes Tearout
Q: All of the instruction I’ve seen on dressing stock stresses the importance of working in a certain sequence to ensure flat, straight, square pieces. Usually, the following approach is recommended: Joint one face, plane to thickness, joint one edge

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